3 


0^7.43 

£ S3 T?- 


L1BRARY 

OF 

GEORGE  W.  CHILDS. 


To  Mr.  Childs’s  life-long  knowledge  of 
books,  and  intimate  personal  acquaintance 
with  celebrated  authors  at  home  and  abroad, 
may  be  attributed  the  remarkable  character  of 
his  collection.  Its  growth  has  been  gradual, 
although  the  most  curious  portions  have  been 
obtained  during  the  last  fifteen  years.  The 
library  contains  about  five  thousand  volumes. 
The  room  which  is  Mr.  Childs’s  reading- 
room  and  study  is  upon  the  first  floor,  with 
direct  entrance  from  the  main  hall  of  his 
mansion,  and  the  woodwork  is  finished  in 
the  Italian  style,  carved  ebony  with  gold. 
The  book-shelves  are  on  the  four  sides,  and 
are  six  feet  in  height.  The  walls  above  are 
beautifully  finished  to  the  ceiling,  which  is 
built  in  heavy  sunken  panels,  blue  and  gold. 
In  the  centre  of  the  room  stands  the  large 


4 


library  table,  literally  piled  with  attractive 
volumes.  This  table  is  in  itself  a treasure, 
the  ebony  of  which  it  is  made  having  been 
brought  from  Africa  by  M.  Paul  du  Cliaillu 
for  Mr.  Childs.  The  furniture  is  of  ebony, 
and  the  library  chair,  also  of  ebony,  is  a fac- 
simile of  William  Beckford’s  chair  at  Font- 
liill.  The  carpet,  of  a unique  design  by 
Owen  Jones,  corresponds  with  every  part  of 
the  room.  The  remainder  of  the  books  are 
in  an  elegant  apartment  upon  the  third  floor, 
chiefly  devoted  to  the  standard  works.  These 
include  the  finest  editions  of  all  the  best 
English  and  American  authors,  with  many 
specialties  in  various  branches  of  literature. 
To  us,  however,  the  greatest  treasures  are 
those  in  the  library-room  first  named.  In 
a beautiful  cabinet  between  the  windows 
we  find  a little  18mo.  of  8 pages,  bearing  the 
date  May  17,  1703,  written  in  a small  but 
very  clear  hand,  the  lines  close  together,  but 
with  wide  margins  for  references.  This  is 
an  original  sermon  of  the  Rev.  Cotton  Mather, 
endorsed  as  genuine  by  Rev.  Wm.  B.  Sprague, 
Albany. 

We  next  come  to  a copy  of  the  Poetical 
Works  of  Leigh  Hunt,  also  a little  18mo. 
This  is  doubly  precious  from  the  associations 
that  cluster  around'  it,  the  autograph  inscrip- 


5 


> 

> dr 

1 


tion being,  “Charles  Dickens,  from  his  Con- 
stant Admirer  and  obliged  friend,  Leigh 
Hunt.”  It  is  the  Moxon  edition  of  1844,  is 
bound  in  half  morocco,  and  came  to  Mr. 
Childs  direct  from  Dickens’s  library.  Ac- 
companying this,  and  from  the  same  library, 
is  a copy  of  Hood’s  “Comic  Annual”  for 
1842.  Mr.  Welford  secured  the  work  with 
considerable  difficulty,  as  thirty-two  applica- 
tions were  made  for  it  by  English  collectors. 
The  inscription,  in  Hood’s  handwriting,  has 
never  been  published,  but  it  is  too  good  not 
to  see  the  light.  It  is  as  follows  : — 

Pshaw  ! away  with  leaf  and  berry, 

And  the  sober-sided  cup  ! 

Bring  a goblet,  and  bright  sherry  ! 

And  a bumper  fill  me  up. 

Tho’  I had  a pledge  to  shiver, 

And  the  longest  ever  was — 

Ere  his  vessel  leaves  our  river, 

I will  drink  a health  to  Boz  ! 


Here’s  success  to  all  his  antics, 

Since  it  pleases  him  to  roam, 

And  to  paddle  o’er  Atlantics, 

After  such  a sale  at  home  ! — 

May  he  shun  all  rocks  whatever, 

And  the  shallow  sand  that  lurks — 
And  his  passage  be  as  clever 
As  the  best  among  his  works  ! 

Tnos.  Hood. 


6 


Here,  also,  is  a beautiful  octavo  edition, 
full  morocco,  with  a wonderfully  delicate 
gold  finish,  of  “ Alnwick  Castle  and  Other 
Poems,”  with  the  inscription  in  the  poet’s 
own  hand — 

Charles  Dickens,  Esquire, 

from  his  friend  and  admirer, 

Fitz  Greene  Halleck. 

New  York,  North  America, 

6th  June,  1842. 

Another  work  attracts  our  attention,  which 
proves  to  be  the  original  manuscript  of  Na- 
thaniel Hawthorne’s  Consular  Experiences. 
It  contains  thirty-seven  large  quarto  pages, 
is  in  the  author’s  hand  throughout,  and  has 
his  signature  at  the  end.  It  is  remarkable 
for  the  beauty  of  its  pages,  its  clean  sheets, 
and  its  freedom  from  alterations  and  erasures. 
With  it  is  a copy  of  the  first  edition  of  the 
“ Scarlet  Letter,”  published  by  Ticknor, 
Heed  & Fields  in  1851,  containing  an  auto- 
graph letter  to  Mr.  Childs,  dated  Lenox, 
September  16,  1851.  We  give  it  in  full : — 

My  Dear  Sir  : — 

Perhaps  it  may  interest  you  to  know  that  u The 
Scarlet  Letter”  (your  favorable  opinion  of  which 
gratifies  me  much)  is  thus  far  founded  on  fact, 
that  such  a symbol  was  actually  worn  by  at  least 


7 


one  woman,  in  the  early  times  of  New  England. 
Whether  this  personage  resembled  Hester  Prynne 
in  any  other  circumstances  of  her  character,  I 
cannot  say  ; nor  whether  this  mode  of  ignomin- 
ious punishment  was  brought  from  beyond  the 
Atlantic,  or  originated  with  the  New  England 
Puritans.  At  any  rate,  the  idea  was  so  worthy 
of  them  that  I am  piously  inclined  to  allow  them 
all  the  credit  of  it. 

Respectfully, 

Nathl.  Hawthorne. 

George  W.  Childs,  Esq. 

In  connection  with  the  above  we  read  the 
sad  letter  written  by  Ex-President  Pierce  to 
James  T.  Fields,  giving  an  account  of  the 
death  of  Mr.  Hawthorne.  It  is  in  the  book 
of  the  Presidents  of  the  United  States,  to 
which  we  shall  call  attention  later.  It  is 
written  on  a broad,  square,  black-edged 
sheet,  and  is  as  follows  : — 

PEMIGEW ASSET  HOUSE, 
Thursday  Morning,  5 o’clock. 
My  Dear  Sir  : — 

The  telegraph  has  communicated  to  you  the 
fact  of  our  dear  friend  Hawthorne’s  death. 
My  friend,  Col.  Hibbard,  who  bears  this  note, 
was  a friend  of  Hawthorne,  and  will  tell  you 
more  than  I am  able  to  write.  I enclose  here- 
with a note  which  I commenced  last  evening  to 


8 


dear  Mrs.  Hawthorne.  Oh,  how  will  she  bear 
this  shock  ! Dear  mother — dear  children.  When 
I met  HawTthorne  at  Boston,  a week  ago,  it  was 
apparent  that  he  wras  much  more  feeble,  and 
more  seriously  diseased,  than  I had  supposed  him 
to  be.  We  came  from  Sen  ter  Harbor  yesterday 
afternoon,  and  I thought  he  was  on  the  whole 
brighter  than  he  was  the  day  before.  Through 
the  week  he  has  been  inclined  to  somnolency 
during  the  day,  but  restless  at  night.  He  retired 
last  night  soon  after  nine  o’clock,  and  soon  fell 
into  a quiet  slumber.  In  less  than  half  an  hour 
changed  his  position,  but  continued  to  sleep.  I 
left  the  door  open  between  his  bed  and  mine,  our 
beds  being  opposite  to  each  other,  and  was  asleep 
myself  before  11  o’clock.  The  light  continued 
to  burn  in  my  room.  At  2 o’clock  I went  to 
H.’s  bedside;  he  was  apparently  in  a sound 
sleep,  and  I did  not  place  my  hand  upon  him. 
At  4 o’clock  I went  into  his  room  again,  and,  as 
his  position  was  unchanged,  I placed  my  hand 
upon  him  and  found  that  life  was  extinct.  I 
sent,  however,  immediately  for  a physician,  and 
called  Judge  Bell  and  Col.  Hibbard,  who  occu- 
pied rooms  upon  the  same  floor  and  near  me.  He 
lies  upon  his  side — his  position  so  perfectly  nat- 
ural and  easy — his  eyes  closed — that  it  is  difficult 
to  realize  while  looking  upon  his  noble  face  that 
this  is  death.  He  must  have  passed  from  natural 
slumber  to  that  from  which  there  is  no  waking 
within  the  slightest  moment. 


9 


I cannot  write  to  dear  Mrs.  Hawthorne,  and 
you  must  exercise  your  judgment  with  regard  to 
sending  this  and  the  unfinished  note  enclosed  to 
her. 

Yr.  Friend 

Franklin  Pierce. 

The  manuscript  of  another  author  who  is 
dear  to  the  American  reader,  and  who  has 
but  lately  passed  away,  is  William  Cullen 
Bryant’s.  It  is  in  quarto  form,  and  contains 
the  First  Book  of  the  Iliad.  There  are  six- 
teen pages,  and  a vignette  portrait  on  steel, 
one  of  the  best  we  have  ever  seen  of  the  poet. 
Accompanying  it  is  an  autograph  letter  to 
Mr.  Fields : — 

My  Dear  Mr.  Fields  : — 

I send  you  the  first  half  of  the  First  Book  of 
the  Iliad  translated  by  me,  relating  the  conten- 
tion between  Achilles  and  Agamemnon.  If  it 
be  desirable  that  I should  see  the  proof,  it  should 
be  sent  to  me  immediately/  as  I may  possibly 
not  be  in  these  parts  in  about  ten  days  from  this 
time. 

I am,  Dear  Sir, 

Very  Sincerely  Yours, 

W.  C.  Bryant. 

Roslyn,  Nov.  6,  1866. 

A nine-page  folio,  in  manuscript,  is  James 
Bussell  Lowell’s  June  Idyll,  “Under  the 


10 


Willows,”  signed  “ J.  R.  L.”  upon  the  title- 
page,  and  at  the  end  with  the  full  name  of  the 
poet.  This  poem  was  begun  in  1850,  and  com- 
pleted in  1868,  but,  despite  the  length  of  this 
period,  the  work  exhibits  few  emendations. 

A manuscript  of  interest  is  the  original  of 
James  Fenimore  Cooper’s  “ Life  of  Captain 
Richard  Somers,”  twenty-one  pages  folio, 
bound  with  the  text  as  published  in  Gra- 
ham's Magazine , October,  1847.  This  is 
bound  in  half  morocco,  and  it  was  presented 
to  Mr.  Balmanno  by  Rufus  W.  Griswold, 
with  his  autograph  attestation.  In  addition 
to  the  above,  the  volume  contains  ten  auto- 
graph letters,  signed,  to  J.  D.  P.  Ogden, 
Esq.,  his  lawyer,  concerning  his  lawsuit 
against  J.  Watson  Webb  and  others  for 
libel,  1839-1840;  also,  an  unsigned  letter  to 
the  editor  of  the  Commercial  Advertiser , 
with  notes  and  newspaper  cuttings  inserted 
by  Mr.  Balmanno. 

A singular  history  is  attached  to  a remark- 
able manuscript  to  be  found  here,  that  of 
“The  Murders  in  the  Rue  Morgue,”  by 
Edgar  A.  Poe.  The  story  is  complete  on 
seventeen  pages  of  large  folio  paper,  the 
handwriting  being  small  and  close.  There 
are  very  few  alterations,  and  the  letters  are 
clean  and  clear.  The  story  of  the  manu- 


script  can  be  best  understood  by  the  follow- 
ing, which  accompanied  it  when  it  came 
into  Mr.  Childs’s  possession  : — 

The  foregoing  original  manuscript  of  Edgar 
A.  Poe’s  story,  “ The  Murders  in  the  Rue 
Morgue,”  has  a history  which  may  be  of  interest 
to  admirers  of  the  distinguished  author. 

I have  no  data  whereby  I can  fix  the  exact 
date  at  which  the  manuscript  came  into  my 
possession,  but  it  was  about  forty  years  ago, 
probably  in  the  spring  of  1841,  at  which  time  I 
was  an  apprentice  in  the  office  of  Barrett  & 
Thrasher,  Printers,  No.  33  Carter’s  Alley,  Phila- 
delphia. If  my  memory  is  not  at  fault,  Graham's 
Magazine , in  whose  pages  the  story  first  appeared, 
was  printed  in  the  aforesaid  office,  and  the  re- 
vised proof  read  in  the  Saturday  Evening  Post 
office,  Chestnut  Street  above  Third,  within  a 
door  or  two  of  the  old  Public  Ledger  building. 

After  the  story  had  been  put  in  type  and  the 
proof  read,  the  manuscript  found  its  way  into 
the  waste-basket.  I picked  it  from  the  basket, 
asked  and  obtained  leave  to  keep  it,  and  took  it 
to  the  residence  of  my  father,  with  whom  I then 
boarded.  Here  it  was  put  away  so  carefully 
that  I have  no  recollection  of  seeing  it  for  years. 

In  1846,  my  father,  leaving  me  in  Philadelphia, 
removed  to  Fawn  Township,  York  County,  and 
thence,  a few  years  later,  to  Manchester,  Md., 
and  Darksville,  Va.  In  these  several  pilgrimages 
he  had,  unknown  to  himself,  carried  the  Poe 


12 


manuscript  along:  with  him,  folded  up  in  one  of 
the  hooks  of  his  library.  Determining  to  return 
to  Pennsylvania,  he  made  sale  of  his  personal 
effects,  and  among  a lot  of  old  books  offered  was 
found  the  Poe  MS.  It  was  at  once  recognized, 
rescued  from  Ihe  rubbish  among  which  it  had 
so  nearly  been  lost,  and  forwarded  to  me — I 
having  in  the  mean  time,  1847,  removed  to 
Lancaster,  Pa.,  and  commenced  business  as  a 
daguerreotypist.  Twice  my  daguerrean  rooms 
took  fire,  and  once  (March  8,  1850)  almost  all 
my  books,  papers,  pictures,  and  apparatus  were 
consumed  ; but  the  Poe  manuscript,  folded  within 
the  leaves  of  an  old  music  book,  escaped  the 
wreck. 

About  the  year  1857  (I  think  it  wras) , a gro- 
cery store,  occupying  the  first  floor  of  the  build- 
ing in  which  were  my  rooms,  took  fire  and  burned 
furiously.  The  flames  did  not  reach  my  rooms, 
but  the  smoke  did,  and  the  firemen  drenched 
them  with  water,  destroying  books,  papers,  and 
other  property,  but,  by  rare  good  fortune,  the 
Poe  manuscript  again  escaped  all  injury,  except 
a slight  discoloration. 

From  1861  to  1864  I was  in  the  army,  but,  on 
my  return  therefrom,  I found  the  Poe  manu- 
script in  the  old  music  book  where  I had  left  it 
on  leaving  home. 

In  the  spring  of  1865  I took  charge  of  the 
Swan  Hotel,  Lancaster.  Removing  therefrom 
in  1869,  a great  deal  of  rubbish  was  consigned 


13 


to  the  ash-pile,  the  old  music  book  sharing  the 
fate  of  other  worthless  articles.  My  next-door 
neighbor,  thinking  it  had  been  inadvertently 
thrown  away,  picked  it  from  the  ash-pile  and 
handed  it  to  me.  On  opening  the  book,  I again 
beheld  the  much-neglected  and  long-mislaid 
manuscript  ! Resolved  that  it  should  not  again 
be  subjected  to  so  many  unnecessary  risks,  I at 
once  had  it  bound  in  its  present  form. 

J.  W.  Johnston. 

Lancaster, Pa.,  July  26, 1881. 

Another  interesting  memento  in  connec- 
tion with  the  history  both  of  this  manuscript 
and  its  unfortunate  author  is  given  below  : 

Messrs.  Lea  & Blanchard, — 

Philadelphia. 

Gentlemen  : I wish  to  publish  a new  collec- 
tion of  my  prose  Tales  with  some  such  title  as 
this  : — 

1 The  Prose  Tales  of  Edgar  A.  Poe , including 
11  The  Murders  in  the  Rue  Morgue”  the 
u Descent  into  The  Maelstiom and  all 
his  later  pieces,  with  a second  edition  of  the 
u Tales  of  the  Grotesque  and  Arabesque.”  9 

The  later  pieces  will  be  eight  in  number,  making 
the  entire  collection  thirty-three,  which  would 
occupy  two  thick  novel  volumes. 

I am  anxious  that  your  firm  should  continue 
to  be  my  publishers,  and,  if  you  wrould  be  willing 


14 


to  bring  out  the  book,  I should  be  glad  to  accept 
the  terms  which  you  allowed  me  before,  that  is, 
you  receive  all  profits,  and  allow  me  twenty 
copies  for  distribution  to  friends. 

Will  you  be  kind  enough  to  give  me  an  early 
reply  to  this  letter,  and  believe  me 

Yours,  very  respectfully, 
Edqar  A.  Poe. 

Philadelphia, 

Office  Graham’s  Magazine,  August  13,  ’41. 

From  this  it  would  appear  that  Mr.  Poe 
was  at  least  modest  in  liis  demands  upon  his 
publishers. 

It  was  principally  through  Mr.  Chtlds’s 
instrumentality  that  the  monument  to  Poe 
was  erected  in  Baltimore,  as  he  volunteered 
to  pay  all  the  expenses  attending  it,  and  did 
furnish  the  greater  part  of  the  money. 

Of  great  historical  value  is  the  original 
manuscript  draft  of  General  U.  S.  Grant’s 
Address  at  the  opening  of  the  Centennial 
Exhibition,  May  10,  1876.  It  is  in  full,  and 
signed  by  him.  Mr.  Childs  has  had  it 
elegantly  bound  in  full  morocco  folio,  with 
blue  satin  lining. 

Probably  the  unique  work  in  Mr.  Childs’s 
whole  collection  is  the  original  manuscript 
of  “Our  Mutual  Friend,”  which  he  has  had 
bound  in  two  large  quarto  volumes,  fine 


15 


brown  morocco.  It  is  the  only  complete 
manuscript  of  any  of  Charles  Dickens’s 
novels  outside  the  South  Kensington  Mu- 
seum. It  is  said,  however,  that  one  or  two 
of  his  short  Christmas  stories  are  to  be  found 
in  this  country  and  in  England.  • 

The  manuscript  is  dated  “Thursday, 
Fourth  January,  1866,”  and  is  signed,  at 
the  head  of  the  sheet,  “Charles  Dickens.” 
Then  comes  the  skeleton  of  the  story.  The 
method  Mr.  Dickens  pursued  in  the  construc- 
tion of  his  novels  may  not  be  known  ; and  a 
brief  description  of  it  will  to  some  extent 
explain  the  skeleton  from  which  we  shall 
give  a few  extracts.  In  the  first  place  the 
author  conceived  a plan  of  liis  story,  then 
thought  it  out  carefully,  and  fixed  the  plot 
firmly  in  his  mind,  together  with  the  salient 
trafts  of  each  character  This  completed, 
he  made  his  skeleton,  from  which  to  work 
in  the  details  ; and  then  came  the  detailed 
work  of  the  book.  We  copy  from  the  first 
part  of  Volume  I. 


16 


OUR  MUTUAL  FRIEND,  NO.  1. 

CHAPTER  I. 

On  the  Lookout. 

The  Man,  in  his  boat,  watching  the  tides. 

The  Gaffer, — Gaffer — Gaffer  Hexam — 

Hexam. 

His  daughter  rowing.  Jen,  or  Lizzie. 

Taking  the  body  in  tow. 

His  dissipated  partner,  who 

has  “ Robbed  a live  man  !” 

Riderhood — this  fellow’s  name. 

, CHAPTER  IT. 

The  Man  from  Somewhere. 

The  entirely  new  people. 

Everything  new — Grandfather  new — if  they 
had  one. 

Dinner  Party — Twemlow,  Podsnap,  Lady  Tip- 
pins,  Alfred  Lighthouse,  also  Eugene — Mor- 
timer, languid  and  tells  of  Harmon  the  Dust 
Contractor. 

Then  come  sentences  like  this:  “Work 
in  the  girl  who  was  to  have  been  married 
and  made  rich,”  etc.  These  are  written  in 
diagonally,  vertically,  or  horizontally,  as  the 
case  may  be.  There  is  also  an  outline  head- 
„ ing,  as  follows  ~ 


17 


FOUR  BOOKS. 

I.  The  Cup  and  the  Lip. 

II.  Birds  of  a Feather. 

III.  A Long*  Lane. 

IV.  A Turning. 

The  skeleton,  of  which  we  have  given 
a slight  idea,  covers  nearly  sixteen  quarto 
pages.  Following  this  is  the  text  of  the 
work  itself. 

The  paper  used  is  light  blue  and  heavy  ; 
and  the  ink  is  dark  blue.  Mr.  Dickens  wrote 
a peculiar  hand,  the  lines  very  close  together, 
the  letters  very  small ; and  the  frequent  marks 
of  erasure  and  change  betray  the  utmost  care 
in  the  preparation  of  his  work.  At  times  a 
whole  line  has  been  scored  out,  to  be  re- 
placed by  another  choice  of  words  or  a 
different  mode  of  expression,  or  to  be  dropped 
altogether.  Occasionally  evidences  of  the 
author’s  entire  absorption  in  his  work  may 
be  seen  in  the  departure  of  the  lines  from 
exactness,  and  their  tendency  towards  the 
corners  of  the  sheet.  It  is  not  difficult  to 
form  a mental  picture  of  the  self-forgetfulness 
of  the  great  writer,  and  of  his  utter  abandon- 
ment to  his  work,  as  he  sits  at  his  library 
table  at  Gads  Hill  hour  after  hour,  weaving 
the  threads  of  his  wonderful  stories. 

* 


18 


In  the  second  volume  the  same  method  is 
observed,  the  skeleton  occupying  eighteen 
similar  pages,  in  which  there  is  an  extra  note 
to  suggest  something  regarding  Mr.  Boffin. 

The  story  is  marked  as  completed  Septem- 
ber 2,  1865,  and  has  a postscript  in  lieu  of  a 
preface,  occupying  about  one  and  one-third 
page,  under  which  is  given  this  date.  The 
manuscript  is  just  as  it  came  finally  from 
Mr.  Dickens’s  hands,  even  the  names  of  the 
compositors  in  the  printing-office  remaining 
at  the  head  of  each  “take.” 

In  the  first  volume  is  inserted  a letter  from 
Mr.  Dickens  to  Mr.  Childs. 

Gads  Hill  Place, 

High  am  by  Rochester,  Kent. 

Wednesday,  Fourth  November,  1868. 
My  Dear  Mr.  Childs  : 

Welcome  to  England  ! Dolby  will  have  told 
you  that  I am  reading  again — on  a very  fatiguing 
scale — but  that  after  the  end  of  next  week,  I shall 
be  free  for  a fortnight  as  to  country  readings. 
On  Monday  next  I shall  be  in  towrn,  and  shall 
come  straight  to  pay  my  respects  to  Mrs.  Childs 
and  you.  In  the  mean  time  will  you,  if  you  can, 
so  arrange  your  engagements  as  to  give  me  a day 
or  two  here  in  the  latter  half  of  this  month  ? My 
housekeeper-daughter  is  away  hunting  in  Hamp- 
shire, but  my  sister-in-law  is  always  in  charge, 


19 


and  my  married  daughter  would  be  charmed  to 
come  from  London  to  receive  Mrs.  Childs.  You 
cannot  be  quieter  anywhere  than  here,  and  you 
certainly  cannot  have  from  any  one  a heartier 
welcome  than  from  me. 

With  kind  regards  to  Mrs.  Childs, 

Believe  me, 

Faithfully  Yours  Always, 

Charles  Dickens. 

George  W.  Childs,  Esquire. 

The  envelope  containing  the  above  is  a 
memento  that  would  be  a treasure  to  many, 
the  great  novelist’s  autograph  appearing 
upon  it  as  follows  . — 

George  W.  Childs,  Esquire,  . 

Langham  Hotel, 

Regent  Street, 

London,  West. 

CHARLES  DICKENS. 

The  same  volume  also  contains  a letter 
from  Miss  Mamie  Dickens,  of  seven  pages, 
dated  February  Oth,  1874,  giving  an  account 
of  the  family  and  their  movements. 

Another  curiosity  is  the  fine  Osgood  edition 
of  Dickens’s  works,  in  fifty-six  volumes, 
bound  in  light  half  calf,  very  handsome,  in 
each  volume  of  which  is  inserted  an  auto- 


20 


graph  letter  from  Mr.  Dickens  to  Mr.  Childs, 
the  first  dated  1855. 

Lord  Byron’s  works  are  represented  by 
Murray’s  fine  six-volume  edition,  superbly 
bound,  dated  1855,  in  which  is  to  be  found 
this  inscription  written  by  Mr.  Murray  : — 

To  George  W.  Childs,  of  Philadelphia, 

In  testimony  of  kind  remembrance, 
from 

John  Murray, 

Albemarle  Street,  London. 

The  first  volume  contains  portions  of  the 
manuscript  of  the  44  Bride  of  Abydos,”  and 
is  signed  by  Lord  Byron.  An  additional 
signature  of  note  is  that  of  44  John  Murray 
III.,  April,  1878.”  Byron’s  dislike  of 
Wordsworth  is  well  known,  and  when 
44  Peter  Bell”  appeared,  he  cut  it  out,  placed 
it  in  the  beginning  of  a copy  of  his  own 
works,  and  wrote  a parody  upon  it,  the 
manuscript  verses  occupying  the  margins  of 
the  page.  This  is  also  inserted  in  the  first 
volume.  Wordsworth’s  poem  begins  as  fol- 
lows : — 


21 


Prologue. 

There’s  something  in  a flying  horse, 

And  something  in  a huge  balloon  ; 

But  through  the  clouds  I’ll  never  float 

Until  I have  a little  Boat 
Whose  shape  is  like  the  crescent-moon. 

And  now  I have  a little  Boat, 

In  shape  a very  crescent-moon  : — etc. 

Byron  expresses  his  extreme  disgust  in 
these  lines : — 

Ravenna,  March  22,  1820. 

Byron. 

Epilogue. 

There’s  something  in  a stupid  ass, 

And  something  in  a heavy  dunce ; 

But  never  since  I went  to  school 

I heard  or  saw  so  damned  a fool 
As  William  Wordsworth  is  for  once. 

And  now  I’ve  seen  so  great  a fool 
As  William  Wordsworth  is  for  once  ; 

I really  wish  that  Peter  Bell, 

And  he  who  wrote  it,  were  in  hell, 

For  writing  nonsense  for  the  nonce. 

I saw  the  “ light  in  ninety-eight,” 

Sweet  Babe  of  one-and-twenty  years  ! 

And  then  he  gives  it  to  the  nation, 

And  deems  himself  of  Shakspeare’s  peers. 


22 


He  gives  the  perfect  work  to  light ! 

Will  Wordsworth — if  I might  advise, 
Content  you  with  the  praise  you  get 
From  Sir  George  Beaumont,  Baronet, 

And  with  your  place  in  the  Excise. 

The  fifth  volume  of  this  edition  is  accompa- 
nied by  a fine  line  engraving  from  the  finest 
portrait  of  Byron  known,  the  original  of 
which  hangs  in  Mr.  Murray’s  house,  and  to 
which  is  affixed  an  autograph  of  Lord  Byron. 

Mr.  Childs  has  also  in  his  possession 
Lord  Byron’s  writing-desk,  on  which  he 
wrote  Don  Juan  and  other  of  his  Poems. 
It  has  his  autograph  and  notes  in  several 
places,  as  well  as  his  crest  and  monogram. 

A very  handsome  manuscript  by  William 
Godwin  next  attracts  attention.  It  is  the  ori- 
ginal of  44  Cloudesley  : a Novel.”  Through- 
out it  is  the  author’s  work,  written  on  old 
parchment  paper,  upon  both  sides  of  the 
sheet.  The  chirography  is  particularly  clear 
and  smooth,  and  the  large  margin  left  for 
notes  gives  each  page  a tasteful  appearance. 
The  manuscript  is  bound  in  half  calf,  and 
each  leaf  is  mounted  on  a strong  guard. 

A curiosity,  indeed,  is  the  book  which  has 
the  following  title-page  : — 


23 


La 

DIVINA  COMMEDIA 

DI 

DANTE 

Edizione  Illustrata 
da  30  Fotografie  tolte  da  disegni 
di 

SCARAMUZZA 

Milano 

ULRICO  HOEPLI 
1879 

It  is  the  smallest  book  ever  printed,  and 
is  what,  the  printer  would  denominate  a 
u128mo.”  It  contains  the  whole  of  Dante’s 
Comedy,  and  the  illustrations  are  clear  and 
excellent.  Mr.  Hoepli,  whose  autograph  ap- 
pears on  the  dedicatory  page,  printed  only  a 
few  copies  for  the  Paris  exhibition  of  1878, 
and  the  types  were  destroyed  after  having 
been  used  on  this  occasion.  The  little  vol- 
ume measures,  bound  in  full  Turkey  gilt, 
less  than  two  and  a quarter  inches  in  length 
by  one  and  a half  inch  in  width,  and  yet 
it  contains  over  five  hundred  pages  of  type 
that  can  be  read  with  comparative  ease  by 
the  naked  eye. 

Unequalled  in  its  present  shape  is  the 
manuscript  of  “The  Cow  Cliace,”  which  in 


24 


any  case  would  be  of  interest.  It  will  be 
remembered  that  this  satirical  poem,  written 
by  Major  Andre,  was  founded  upon  an  un- 
successful attempt  of  a party  under  General 
Anthony  Wayne  to  capture  a block-house 
upon  the  Hudson,  in  New  Jersey,  and  but 
a short  distance  from  New  York  City,  on 
the  21st  of  July,  1780.  It  is  said  to  have 
been  the  last  literary  effort  of  the  ill-fated 
young  Englishman,  and,  singular  enough, 
the  last  canto  was  published  in  New  York,  in 
Rivington’s  Royal  Gazette , on  the  same  day 
upon  which  he  was  arrested.  The  Poem 
was  afterwards  printed,  with  full  notes,  for 
private  circulation,  and  this  with  the  manu- 
script was  the  property  of  the  Rev.  Wm.  B. 
Sprague,  of  Albany,  N.  Y.,  an  extensive 
collector  of  autographs,  wTlio  prized  it  as 
probably  the  most  valuable  article  in  his  col- 
lection. The  manuscript  has  been  wonder- 
fully well  illustrated  by  Mr.  Ferdinand  J. 
Dreer,  of  Philadelphia,  who  has  inserted  an 
illustration  for  every  point  in  the  text  that 
would  admit  of  it.  These  include  portraits 
of  the  Generals  of  the  Revolution,  both  Con- 
tinental and  English,  well  known  and  his- 
toric landscapes,  characters,  and  buildings. 
The  closing  strain  of  Andre’s  epic,  which  is 
complete  in  three  cantos,  is 


25 


And  now  I’ve  closed  my  epic  strain, 

And  tremble  as  I show  it, 

Lest  this  same  warrior-drover,  Wayne, 
Should  ever  catch  the  poet. 

Sure  enough,  just  afterward  the  poet  was 
caught,  and  some  unkind  hand  continues  the 
movement 

And  when  the  epic  strain  was  sung, 

The  poet  by  the  neck  was  hung — 

And  to  his  cost  he  finds  too  late 
The  “ dung-born  tribe”  decides  his  fate. 

A book  that  has  no  duplicate — in  fact,  a 
duplicate  to-day  would  be  impossible  to 
make — is  what  has  become  known  as 

A Collection  of  Autographs 
made  BY 
A Scrivener. 

Mr.  W.  G.  Latham,  a lawyer  of  New 
Orleans,  was  the  compiler,  and  of  him  the 
friend  to  whom'  the  book  was  dedicated 
writes 

He  is,  by  profession,  a Notary  Public;  and,  in 
this  capacity,  has  had  access  to  many  original 
documents  whence  he  commenced  making  copies 
of  signatures  : and  he  thus  employed  the  leisure 
hours  of  five  and  twenty  years;  and  probably 
made  at  least  one  journey  to  Europe. 


26 


The  accuracy  of  the  imitations  has  in  many 
instances  been  proved  by  comparison  with  the 
identical  originals — that  method,  alone,  being 
the  true  method  of  comparison  : for  no  one 
writes  uniformly  through  a series  of  years. 

No  duplicates  of  these  copies  have  been  pre- 
served : and  if  this  collection  should  be  lost  or 
destroyed,  no  power  could  now  reproduce  it. 

Every  autograph  in  the  volume,  it  must  be 
borne  in  mind,  was  copied  by  Mr.  Latham. 
None  are  the  originals,  and  none  are  litho- 
graphs or  engraved  facsimiles.  There  are 
about  four  thousand  names  in  the  book,  and 
they  embrace  distinguished  Americans  of 
all  professions  from  the  beginning ; British 
authors  from  before  Sliakspeare  until  within 
a few  years ; men  of  renown  in  authorship, 
in  medicine,  theology,  natural  history,  bot- 
any, music,  the  drama,  and  the  fine  arts;  a 
complete  list  of  the  Signers  of  the  Declara- 
tion of  Independence  ; Washington  and  his 
Generals ; Napoleon  and  leading  men  of  his 
time  and  nation ; and,  finally,  royalty,  the 
nobility,  and  military  and  naval  celebrities 
of  Europe  for  the  past  three  centuries. 
Appended  to  almost  every  signature  is  a 
brief  biographical  sketch,  which  greatly  en- 
hances the  value  of  the  work.  A much 
thinner  volume,  but  bound  to  match  exactly, 


27 


and  corresponding  in  size  of  page,  is  the 
Index.  In  the  first  part  of  this  is  the  “In- 
dex to  the  Index,”  which  guides  to  the  sub- 
ject classification  ; then  under  each  subject 
is  an  alphabetical  arrangement  of  the  names. 
It  is  so  complete  that  in  a moment  one  may 
turn  to  any  desired  name  or  epoch. 

Among  the  most  recent  additions  to  Mr. 
Childs’s  library  is  what  is  known  as  “The 
Hall  Collection.”  This  aggregation  of  valu- 
able material  embraces  letters,  manuscripts, 
and  sketches  from  the  most  celebrated  people 
of  the  last  fifty  years,  which  were  received 
by  Anna  Maria  Hall  and  her  husband,  Mr. 
S.  C.  Hall,  chiefly  during  their  connection 
with  the  London  Art  Journal. 

Possessing,  perhaps,  the  greatest  general 
interest  in  the  Hall  Collection,  however,  is 
the  album  formerly  belonging  to  Mrs.  Hall, 
now  the  property  of  Mr.  Childs.  Not  only 
do  we  find  in  it,  almost  without  number, 
names  which  everybody  knows  in  Eng- 
lish literature,  many  accompanying  original 
verses  or  bright  sayings,  but  here  and  there 
are  sketches  by  well-known  hands,  some- 
times in  water-colors,  sometimes  in  sepia, 
sometimes  in  ink.  There  are  letters  from 
Charles  Lamb,  Nathaniel  HaAvthorne,  Mary 
Somerville,  Miss  Mitford,  Harriet  Martineau, 


28 


Martin  Farquhar  T upper,  Robert  Chambers, 
S.  T.  Coleridge,  Frederika  Bremer,  Samuel 
Lover,  Wilkie  Collins,  William  Wordsworth, 
Daniel  O’Connell,  Amelia  Opie,  Robert 
Southey,  L.  H.  Sigourney,  Edward  Lytton 
Bulwer,  E.  B.  Browning,  from  Rome,  G. 
P.  R.  James,  Robert  Burns,  Grace  Aquilar, 
and  many  others.  Will.  Kennedy  has  a 
Moorish  Melody ; T.  Crofton  Croker  has  a 
sketch  in  sepia ; Tom  Moore  has  lines  of 
remembrance,  and  a sketch  of  Sloperton  Cot- 
tage ; there  is  also  a page  of  manuscript 
from  one  of  his  stories,  written  by  Charles 
Dickens,  and  signed  with  that  never-to-be- 
forgotten  signature.  Under  this  he  has  writ- 
ten, “ Countersigned,  Boz.”  An  interesting 
sepia  sketch  of  Maria  Edgeworth’s  library 
appears ; and  following  it  is  “ The  Cross,”  a 
poem  by  Jane  Porter.  1 Thomas  Hood  has 
written  a verse  of  his  “Song  of  the  Shirt,” 
and  Thomas  Hood,  the  younger,  presents 
the  lines  beginning  “ Work,  work,  work.” 
There  is  “A  Prayer”  by  Hannah  More; 
and  Barry  Cornwall  comes  soon  after  with 
“A  Conceit.”  Leigh  Hunt  writes  nearly  a 
page  of  Abou  Ben  Adhem,  and  Caroline 
Norton  has  “A  Blind  Man’s  Bride.”  Two 
neat  charades  must  not  be  overlooked,  under 


29 


which  is  to  be  seen  the  signature  of  Theodore 
Hook. 

From  Mrs.  Hall,  though  perhaps  not 
strictly  to  be  included  in  the  Hall  Collec- 
tion, is  “The  Tom  Moore  Bible.”  The  fol- 
lowing, which  is  from  Mrs.  Hall,  and  which 
accompanies  the  book,  will,  no  doubt,  serve 
as  the  best  description  of  its  value. 

Avenue  Villa. 

50  Holland  Street, 

Kensington,  W.  London. 

This  Bible,  in  which  Thomas  Moore  had  en- 
tered the  names,  and  birth  dates,  and  death 
dates  of  his  children,  was  left  by  his  widow, 
“ Bessy”  Moore,  td  her  nephew,  Charles  Mur- 
ray. By  him  it  was  left  to  his  widow,  who  pre- 
sented it  to  Mrs.  S.  C.  Hall  as  a very  precious 
relic. 

By  Mrs.  S.  C.  Hall  it  is  presented — on  the  13th 
day  of  October,  1879 — to  George  W.  Childs,  of 
Philadelphia,  an  honored  and  much  loved  citi- 
zen of  the  United  States  of  America,  as  the  best 
and  most  valuable  offering  she  could  make  to 
him,  as  a grateful  tribute  of  respect,  regard,  and 
esteem. 

Curious,  as  well  as  rare,  is  the  “Black 
Book  of  Taymouth,”  a square  quarto,  very 
handsome  even  as  to  its  external  appearance, 
the  binding  being  a rich  black  calf  with  all 


30 


the  tooling  in  clear  gold.  This  volume  was 
presented  to  Mr.  Childs  by  the  Duke  of 
Buckingham,  the  last  of  the  Plantagenets, 
and  contains  his  letter  asking  its  acceptance. 
The  book  was  printed  for  private  circulation 
by  the  Marquis  of  Breadalbane,  who  was  a 
relative  of  the  Duke  of  Buckingham.  It  con- 
tains the  “Black  Book  of  Taymouth,”  which 
is  superbly  illustrated  in  the  olden  style,  with 
brilliant  coloring  and  much  gold,  and  the 
text  of  which  is  in  old  English.  It  also  con- 
tains a fine  engraving  of  Tay mouth  Castle 
and  a number  of  papers  from  the  Breadal- 
bane Charter-Room,  and  is  replete  with  in- 
teresting material  connected  with  this  genea- 
logical history.  A superbly  bound  folio 
volume  of  photographs  of  Stowe,  also  sent 
to  Mr.  Childs  by  the  Duke  of  Buckingham, 
serves  as  an  interesting  memorial  of  pleasant 
days  spent  with  the  Duke  and  his  family  in 
that  famous  lordly  palace. 

The  44  Memento  of  Dean  Stanley,”  whose 
recent  visit  to  this  country  and  as  the  guest 
of  Mr.  Childs  will  be  so  well  remembered, 
will  be  a lasting  memorial  of  that  great  and  - 
good  man.  It  contains  two  portraits  of  the 
Dean,  one  a full  length  study,  and  several 
letters  from  him  to  Mr.  Childs.  A fine  re- 
production, colored,  of  “The  Herbert  Cow- 


31 


per  Memorial  Window,”  presented  by  Mr. 
Childs  to  Westminster  Abbey  also  has  a 
place,  and  all  the  letters  and  articles  relating 
to  the  proposed  monument  to  the  Dean  are 
to  be  found  in  the  volume. 

A valuable  reminiscence  is  “The  Need  of 
Two  Loves,”  the  original  manuscript  of  N. 
P.  Willis.  It  occupies  comparatively  few 
pages;  but  the  student  of  character-penman- 
ship would  find  it,  in  its  changes  of  form,  an 
interesting  bit  of  study. 

Mr.  Childs  is  the  fortunate  possessor  of 
the  original  copy  of  Milton’s  “Paradise 
Lost,”  in  Armenian,  which  was  exhibited  at 
the  World’s  Fair  in  London.  It  wTas  trans- 
lated by  the  Rev.  Dr.  Pakradouny,  and  is  a 
superb  specimen  of  letterpress.  It  contains 
several  original  illustrations,  including  a fine 
portrait  of  Queen  Victoria,  to  whom  the  work 
is  dedicated. 

Another  work  is  the  manuscript  of  “Her- 
tha,”  by  Frederika  Bremer,  translated  by 
Mary  Howitt.  It  bears  date  1856,  Stock- 
holm, and  the  work  is  written  by  the  author 
upon  both  sides  of  the  sheet.  The  writing 
is  smooth  and  flowing,  and  quite  distinct. 
The  MS.  is  in  fine  condition,  and  has  been 
bound  in  a style  worthy  of  its  talented  author. 

By  its  side  is  the  manuscript  copy  of  Harriet 


32 


Martineau’s  “Retrospect  of  Western  Tra- 
vel,” in  four  quarto  volumes,  with  portraits 
taken  in  1833  and  1850.  The  sheets  are  in 
excellent  condition,  and  it  is  fascinating  to 
read  in  her  own  hand  the  expression  of  her 
thoughts. 

A unique  book  is  a copy  of  Gray’s  Works, 
in  two  volumes,  quarto*  bound  in  tree  calf. 
Originally  it  had  but  four  illustrations,  but  it 
is  enriched  by  the  addition  of  one  hundred 
and  fourteen  engravings  and  two  drawings, 
and  by  autograph  letters  of  Dr.  Beattie,  Sir 
Egerton  Brydges,  and  others.  It  has  an 
extra  title-page  marked  as  sold  by  the  author , 
giving  place  and  street.  It  is  18mo.  in  size, 
and  was  printed  in  London  in  J.797.  Bound 
up  in  the  work  is  the  “Habitations  of  our 
Kings,”  an  original  manuscript  of  the  poet 
Gray,  covering  four  closely  written  quarto 
pages,  and  embracing  the  time  from  William 
the  Conqueror  to  the  Georges.  It  gives  ac- 
counts of  the  Tower,  the  castles,  and  other 
old  landmarks,  so  many  of  which  are  now 
destroyed  or  changed. 

In  presentation  copies  Mr.  Childs’s  library 
is  particularly  rich,  there  being  works  from 
many  of  the  leading  authors  of  England  and 
America  during  the  last  twenty-five  years, 
each  containing  the  autograph  of  the  author. 


33 


Among  these  is  a copy  of  the  “Autocrat  of 
the  Breakfast -Table,”  from  Dr.  Holmes, 
which  contains  an  interesting  letter  giving 
the  author’s  reasons  for  beginning  the  papers 
in  the  Atlantic  Monthly.  A complete  set  of 
Longfellow’s  works  is  enriched  with  auto- 
graph letter  in  each  volume. 

The  book  which  to  most  Americans  would 
be  fraught  with  the  greatest  interest,  how- 
ever, is  a large  folio  containing  the  portrait 
of  every  President  of  the  United  States,  from 
George  Washington  to  General  Chester  A. 
Arthur.  Upon  the  leaf  following  each  por- 
trait is  an  autograph  letter  from  the  President 
represented.  The  letters  begin  with  the  last 
letter  General  Washington  ever  wrote,  which 
is  dated  “Mount  Vernon,  8tli  December, 
1799,”  six  days  before  his  death.  A curious 
fact  comes  to  light,  resulting  from  the  collec- 
tion of  these  documents.  It  is  that  of  the 
entire  list  the  mo*st  difficult  letter  to  be  pro- 
cured was  that  of  President  Andrew  John- 
son. Johnson’s  letters  written  by  an  aman- 
uensis and  signed  by  himself  are  easy  to 
obtain ; but  so  rare  is  a letter  written  through- 
out by  him  that  as  high  as  fifty  dollars  have 
been  offered  for  one.  The  letter  in  this  book 
covers  eight  pages,  and  is  written  in  Mr. 
Johnson’s  incisive  style.  President  Lincoln’s 


34 


letter  is  the  celebrated  one  of  instructions  to 
General  McClellan,  which  occupies  four  large 
quarto  pages,  and  in  which  he  says  forcibly, 
“But  you  must  act!"  Franklin  Pierce’s 
letter  has  already  been  referred  to  in  connec- 
tion with  the  death  of  Hawthorne.  Opposite 
General  Grant’s  portrait  is  the  noted  letter 
from  London,  which  was  published  through- 
out the  world,  giving  his  opinion  of  his  hearty 
and  enthusiastic  reception  in  England.  Six 
of  these  letters  are  personal  ones  from  the 
Presidents  to  Mr.  Childs.  We  have  not 
space  to  refer  in  detail  to  all  the  letters,  but 
from  those  we  have  mentioned  the  character 
of  the  whole  can  be  readily  judged. 

Of  especial  importance  to  Sliakspearian 
scholars  is  Mr.  Childs’s  copy  of  Mrs.  Mary 
Cowden  Clarke’s  “Complete  Concordance 
to  Shakspeare.”  This  interesting  volume 
contains  a selection  of  upwards  of  fifty  closely 
written  pages  of  the  original  manuscript,  to- 
gether with  a long  and  exceedingly  interest- 
ing autograph  letter  signed  (10  pp.).  H gives 
a minute  and  detailed  account  of  the  progress 
of  the  work  from  its  inception,  through  the 
twelve  years  occupied  in  its  compilation, 
and  four  more  of  press  corrections,  to  its  final 
publication.  Also,  copies  of  a congratulatory 
letter  from  Douglas  Jerrold;  the  author’s 


35 


application  for  the  privilege  of  dedicating  the 
work  to  the  Queen  ; and  the  Queen’s  reply  ; 
besides  several  portraits,  and  a large  number 
of  newspaper  cuttings,  etc.,  all  neatly  mount- 
ed. The  author  gives  the  following  account 
of  the  origin  of  a Sliakspearian  Concord- 
ance : — 

One  fine  morning,  the  15th  of  J uly,  1829,  at  the 
table  of  some  friends  in  Somersetshire,  the  sub- 
ject of  Cruden’s  Concordance  to  the  Bible  was 
started,  its  vast  utility  discussed,  and  a regret 
expressed  that  no  work  existed  for  the  quoters 
of  Shakspeare.  The  hope  of  facilitating  the  use 
of  his  universal  axioms,  of  helping  to  spread  still 
further  the  knowledge  of  his  wondrous  wisdom 
and  truth,  fired  my  ambition  ; the  desire  to  be 
myself  the  means  of  supplying  a concordance  to 
the  Bible  of  the  Intellectual  World,  seized  upon 
my  imagination.  That  very  day  I began  my 
glorious  task  ; with  a pencil  and  the  Tempest  in 
my  hand,  I accompanied  my  friends  in  their 
morning  walk,  thus  offering  the  first  lines  of  my 
work  in  honor  of  Nature’s  poet  on  Nature’s  own 
shrine — in  the  face  of  Nature  herself — in  the 
open  air. 

This  is  followed  by  a letter  to  Mr.  Childs, 
which  we  present  below  : — 


36 


Villa  Novello,  Genoa, 

8th  Feb.  1879. 

Dear  Sir  : — 

The  more  than  kind  reception  yon  gave  my 
letter  of  2d  November  last  (acknowledging 
your  packet  and  sending  you  a copy  of  my  me- 
moir of  my  dear  and  honored  father)  in  the  shape 
of  that  truly  cordial  notice  of  our  books  in  your 
Public  Ledger  Supplement  for  23d  November, 
1878,  induces  me  to  believe  that  you  will  feel 
some  interest  in  looking  through  the  enclosed 
Prospectus  of  the  last  Shakspearian  work  my 
beloved  Husband  and  I wrote  together. 

The  notice  in  your  paper  was  read  through 
tears  of  proud  emotion  at  the  way  in  which  your 
reviewer  recognized  the  admirable  characters  of 
my  Parents  : It  was  enjoyed  in  concert  by  our 
family  party,  then  assembled  around  our  break- 
fast-table  here ; which  included  my  brother 
Alfred,  my  sister  Sabilla,  and  our  two  charming 
Italian  nieces,  Portia  and  Valeria  Gigliucci — to 
whom  I read  aloud,  as  well  as  my  streaming 
eyes  would  allow  me,  this  American  warmth  of 
tribute  to  Vincent  and  Mary  Novello’s  moral 
and  intellectual  excellence. 

With  heartfelt  thanks,  I am,  my  dear  sir, 
Yours,  faithfully  and  gratefully  obliged, 
Mary  Cowden  Clarke. 

George  W.  Childs,  Esq. 

The  manuscript  pages  in  the  Concordance 
are  in  Mrs.  Clarke’s  handwriting,  and  show 


37 


in  detail  the  method  of  work  in  the  prepara- 
tion of  the  volume. 

A book  to  interest  every  one  is  Mrs. 
Childs’s  own  album.  In  appearance  it  is 
very  unpretentious,  though  handsome,  but 
its  covers  contain  what  it  would  be  impossi- 
ble to  duplicate — the  names  of  the  guests 
who  have  accepted  the  hospitality  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Childs  at  their  homes  in  Phila- 
delphia, Long  Branch,  and  Wootton.  The 
first  name  to  be  seen  is  that  of  U.  S.  Grant, 
and  this  is  followed  by  the  names  of  the 
other  members  of  the  general’s  family.  The 
signatures  embrace  those  of  the  ablest  men 
in  every  profession.  Among  literary  men 
represented  are  Longfellow,  Holmes,  W. 
W.  Story,  Wilkie  Collins,  P.  B.  ])u  Cliaillu, 
Joaquin  Miller,  Thomas  Hughes,  Goldwin 
Smith,  James  T.  Fields,  Bishop  Doane, 
Bishop  Coxe,  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson, 
George  Bancroft,  Edward  A.  Freeman, 
Henry  C.  Carey,  and  many  others  equally 
well  known.  A few  of  the  journalists  to  be 
found  among  the  many  are  John  Walter  of 
the  London  Times,  J.  Watson  Webb,  Mor- 
ton McMichael,  John  W.  Forney,  Wm. 
Henry  Hurlbert,  and  Wliitelaw  Reid.  But 
to  classify  and  mention  the  representative 
men  in  the  different  paths  in  which  they 


38 


liave  become  celebrated  would  occupy  more 
space  than  we  have  at  our  command.  We 
can  only  refer  to  the  names  of  the  Drexels, 
J.  S.  Morgan,  Governor  Cornell,  Henry 
Wilson,  Asa  Packer,  William  M.  Evarts, 
General  Sherman,  General  Phil.  Sheridan, 
General  McDowell,  Sir  Stafford  Northcote, 
Robert  C.  Winthrop,  Hamilton  Fish,  John 
Welsh,  L.  P.  Morton,  Edwards  Pierrepont, 
Earl  of  Caithness,  Samuel  J.  Tilden,  Profes- 
sor Joseph  Henry,  Alexander  H.  Stephens, 
Rev.  Phillips  Brooks,  Rev.  Dr.  Henry  C. 
Potter ; but  we  must  stop,  not,  however,  with- 
out noting  the  fact  that  a very  large  number 
of  the  autographs  are  accompanied  with 
original  sentiments.  Dean  Stanley  adds,  al- 
luding to  Mr.  Chtlds’s  Memorial  Window 
in  Westminster  Abbey: — 

A grateful  farewell  to  the  Angels  of  Hospital- 
ity, and  a hope  that  they  may  find  their  way  to 
Westminster  Abbey,  which  will  rejoice  to  receive 
its  munificent  benefactor. 

Michaelmas,  1878. 

Opposite  the  Dean’s  remembrance  is  an 
original  poem  by  Dean  Plumptre.  Thomas 
Nast  indicates  his  appreciation  of  the  humor- 
ous in  his  sketch  of  himself  painting  his  name, 
which  occupies  a page.  Oscar  Wilde  lias 
contributed  a poem  written  in  his  light  flow- 


39 


ing  hand  ; while  within  a couple  of  pages  is 
a sentiment  by  Walt  Whitman  in  his  bold, 
sharp  chirography.  Lord  Houghton  has  a 
delicate  poem  ; Charlotte  Cushman  and  Mod- 
jesk^  each  a pleasant  thought ; and  Lord 
Dufferin  an  original  poem.  Notable  espe- 
cially is  the  signature  of  John  C.  Hamilton, 
who,  as  a child,  was  with  his  father,  xYlex- 
ander  Hamilton,  a few  hours  before  he  was 
shot  by  Burr. 

In  connection  with  the  Centennial  were 
many  foreign  celebrities  who  remember  the 
hospitality  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Childs  wTitli 
great  pleasure,  and  among  the  countries 
represented  by  these  are  China,  Egypt, 
Japan,  South  America,  Australia,  and  many 
in  Europe.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  a 
volume  so  full  of  pleasant  memories,  and  so 
identified  with  their  lives,  is  most  highly 
prized  by  the  honored  ones  vrlio  possess  it. 

Mr.  Childs  has  been  fortunate  enough 
to  secure  the  original  MSS.  of  Bulwer’s 
41  Pilgrims  of  the  Rhine”  and  “Godolphin.” 
They  are  splendidly  mounted  upon  large 
pages,  and  are  arranged  in  a form  worthy  of 
their  author.  The  binding  is  red  levant 
morocco,  richly  gilt. 

The  ‘4  Cabinet  of  the  Earl  of  Derby”  is  a 
rich  and  handsome  privately  published  voL 


40 


ume,  and  was  presented  by  the  Duke  of 
Buckingham  to  Mr.  Childs.  The  portraits 
are  fine  and  true,  and,  particularly  as  a study 
of  the  men  of  that  time  (1871),  admirable. 
The  first  portrait  is  that  of  the  Earl  of  Derby, 
then  follow  Lord  Chelmsford,  Duke  of  Marl- 
borough, Earl  of  Malmesbury,  D’ Israeli, 
Duke  of  Buckingham  and  Chandos,  Sir 
Stafford  Nortlicote,  and  the  other  members. 

An  oddity  is  “A  Collection  of  the  Illustra- 
tions of  H.  K.  Browne,  better  known  as 
‘Pliiz.’”  Mr.  Browne’s  proper  name  was 
first  used  by  the  publishers  with  the  u Curi- 
osity Shop,”  all  previous  illustrations  of 
books  having  been  under  the  sobriquet  of 
“Phiz.”  As  “Phiz”  he  is  probably  best 
known  to  the  world,  and  all  readers  of 
Dickens’s  books,  and  other  illustrated  works 
of  that  time,  will  remember  the  spirit  and 
power  of  his  character  sketches.  This  book 
contains  all  the  sketches,  several  hundred, 
that  can  be  obtained,  if  not  all-  that  Mr. 
Browne  ever  made  ; and  the  collection  is 
enriched  by  memoranda  and  notes  in  his 
own  hand. 

We  have,  in  this  brief  sketch,  of  course 
been  able  only  to  note  the  special  features  of 
Mr.  Childs’s  collection,  and  we  pass  by  en- 
tirely many  works  that  are  of  great  interest. 


41 


Were  sufficient  space  at  our  command  many 
t)f  the  rare  editions  of  celebrated  works 
could  be  described,  and  many  very  interest- 
ing incidents  related  concerning  them,  par- 
ticularly the  presentation  copies  to  which 
reference  has  already  been  made.  Of  these, 
all  the  works  of  the  leading  authors  of  the 
last  twenty  years  are  enriched  by  the  inser- 
tion of  interesting  autograph  letters. 

In  Mr.  Childs’s  copy  of  Dr.  Allibone’s 
Dictionary  of  Authors  are  many  interesting 
letters  from  the  author,  one  giving  an  account 
of  tlie  finishing  of  the  work.  Thomas  Hart- 
well Horne,  the  eminent  bibliographer,  wrote 
to  Dr.  Allibone  on  the  completion  of  his 
wonderful  Dictionary,  commending  it  in 
high  terms,  and  said,  44  Your  dedication  to 
Mr.  Childs  is  both  graceful  and  grateful.” 

We  cannot  close  this  article,  however, 
without  calling  attention  to  an  original  score 
of  Tom  Moore,  signed  in  full. 

In  addition  to  this,  Mr.  Childs  has  num- 
bers of  letters,  poems,  and  manuscripts  of 
Burns,  Moore,  Swift,  Longfellow,  Bryant, 
Holmes,  Tennyson,  Pepys,  Pope,  Thomson, 
Shelley,  Keats,  William  Penn,  Voltaire, 
Goetlie,  Irving,  Charles  Lamb,  Gibbon, 
Hume,  Lord  Clarendon,  Walter  Scott,  and 
others.  Coleridge,  also,  is  represented  ; .and 


42 


in  a long  letter  lie  states  that  he  would  be 
glad  to  go  to  London  if  he  could  be  assured 
of  a guinea  a week . A noteworthy  addition 
is  an  original  manuscript  of  Schiller — his 
dramatic  poem,  entitled  44  Demetrius.”  It 
occupies  two  folio  pages,  and  was  obtained 
through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Longfellow. 
There  is  also  the  original  manuscript  draft  of 
Tennyson’s  dedicatory  poem  to  the  Queen, 
which  is  prefixed  to  the  last  collected  edition 
of  his  poems,  and  which  differs  materially 
from  that  printed.  It  is  in  thirteen  verses 
of  four  lines  each.  All  the  works  of  the 
authors  named,  as  well  as  many  others,  have 
the  autographs,  and  steel  plates  or  photo- 
graphs of  the  authors. 

Without  following  any  exact  order  we  will 
note  a letter  of  Lord  Nelson,  written  four 
days  before  his  death  ; a number  of  presenta- 
tion volumes  from  the  brothers  Chambers, 
Robert,  William,  and  David  ; many  curiously 
illustrated  inlaid  and  arranged  works,  espe- 
cially Ticknor’s  Life  of  Prescott,  twro  vol- 
umes, quarto,  with  several  hundred  illustra- 
tions ; Life  of  Everett,  quarto ; Rogers’s  Italy 
and  Poems,  inlaid  with  three  hundred  en- 
gravings, all  first  impressions ; a work  on  the 
Empire  of  Brazil,  presented  by  Dom  Pedro 
in  1876,  and  containing  his  autograph  ; a copy 


43 


of  Chambers’s  u English  Literature,”  which 
has  autograph  letters,  about  seven  hundred 
extra  plates,  and  numerous  newspaper  cut- 
tings and  references,  the  work  being  extended 
to  eight  volumes ; many  books  upon  the  North 
American  Indians  ; quite  a large  collection  of 
Americana;  Lamb’s  Works,  with  autograph 
letters  of  Lamb  ; Talfourd’s  Life  of  Lamb, 
with  a manuscript  poem  by  Talfourd,  and  a 
letter  written  to  Mr.  Childs  ; Shakspeare’s 
Works  in  all  the  finest  editions  ; and  three 
large  volumes  of  photographs,  many  with 
autographs  of  celebrated  people  whom  Mr. 
Childs  has  met  within  the  last  quarter  of 
a century  at  home  and  abroad. 

Of  portraits,  in  the  library,  two  are  espe- 
cially prominent : one,  that  of  George  Pea- 
body, full  length,  who  sat  for  the  picture  for 
Mr.  Childs  ; and  the  other,  that  of  Mr. 
Longfellow,  painted  by  Buchanan  Read  for 
Mr.  Childs,  when  the  three  were  spending 
the  winter  of  1868  in  Rome  together.  Both 
are  admirable  portraits,  and  well  adorn  the 
positions  selected  for  them. 

Among  the  many  letters  received  by  Mr. 
Childs  from  his  friend  Mr.  Longfellow,  the 
following,  written  in  regard  to  his  seventieth 
birthday,  is  so  characteristic  that  we  print 
it 


44 


Cambridge,  March  13, 1877. 
Mi  Dear  Mr.  Childs  : 

You  do  not  know  yet,  what  it  is  to  be  seventy 
years  old.  I will  tell  you,  so  that  you  may  not 
be  taken  by  surprise,  when  your  turn  comes. 

It  is  like  climbing  the  Alps.  You  reach  a snow- 
crowned  summit,  and  see  behind  you  the  deep 
valley  stretching  miles  and  miles  away,  and  be- 
fore you  other  summits  higher  and  whiter,  which 
you  may  have  strength  to  climb,  or  may  not. 
Then  you  sit  down  and  meditate,  and  wonder 
which  it  will  be. 

That  is  the  whole  story,  amplify  it  as  you  may. 
All  that  one  can  say  is,  that  life  is  opportunity. 

With  seventy  good  wishes  to  the  dwellers  in 
Walnut  Street,  corner  of  Twenty-second, 

Yours,  very  truly, 

Henry  W.  Longfellow. 

There  is  besides  a large,  handsome  photo- 
graph of  Dom  Pedro,  Emperor  of  Brazil, 
who  sent  it  with  his  kindest  regards  to  Mr. 
Childs,  and  whose  autograph,  with  date, 
appears  upon  it.  That  the  Emperor  has  by 
no  means  forgotten  Mr.  Childs’s  hospitalities 
during  the  continuation  of  the  Centennial 
Exhibition  is  shown  by  the  following  brief 
note  which  Hon.  Thomas  A.  Osborn,  United 
States  Minister  to  Brazil,  writes  to  a friend, 
describing  his  presentation  to  the  Emperor 
Dom  Pedro.  He  says  : — 


45 


I have  thought  that  you  might  not  be  unin- 
terested in  learning  that  the  Emperor,  in  an  in- 
formal conversation  which  followed  the  presen- 
tation of  my  letter  of  credence,  inquired  quite 
feelingly  after  Mr.  George  W.  Childs,  and 
manifested  a deep  concern  in  his  welfare.  The 
Emperor  spoke  of  the  hospitalities  extended  to 
him  in  Philadelphia,  and  was  especially  warm 
in  his  expressions  touching  Mr.  Childs. 

A number  of  time-pieces  also  adorn  the 
library  and  other  parts  of  the  house.  There 
are  eighteen  in  all,  one  of  which,  occupying 
the  most  prominent  position  in  the  drawing- 
room, cost  six  thousand  dollars.  The  others 
are  of  interest  chiefly  from  the  associations 
connected  with  them,  and  for  their  great 
age,  but  are  of  exceeding  beauty,  elaborate 
in  design,  and  ingenious  in  construction. 
To  these  are  to  be  added  the  large  collection 
of  ivories,  many  of  which  have  been  sent  to 
Mr.  Childs  from  all  parts  of  the  world,  and 
include  carvings  of  rare  skill  and  beauty. 

Mr.  Childs  has  the  original  miniature 
likeness  of  General  Washington  which  he 
left  by  his  will  to  his  niece.  It  is  hand- 
somely encased  in  gold,  and  contains  his 
hair. ' Mr.  Childs  obtained  from  Greenway 
Court,  the  estate  of  the  Fairfaxes  in  Virginia, 
a handsome  mahogany  table  which  General 


46 


Washington  presented  to  Lord  Fairfax,  and 
on  which  they  often  afterwards  played  cards 
together.  He  has  also  eight  old  style  dining- 
room chairs  which  Lord  Fairfax  brought 
from  Leeds  Castle  one  hundred  and  fifty 
years  ago. 

It  is  with  great  regret  that  we  bring  this 
paper  to  an  end.  The  wealth  of  material 
before  us  is  almost  confusing,  and  thrice  this 
space  would  fail  to  do  full  justice  to  the 
treasures  in  the  collection  ; but  we  trust  some 
idea  may  have  been  given  of  their  value  and 
interest,  and  that  the  taste  and  knowledge 
of  their  owner  may  be  appreciated  by  those 
who  never  before  heard  of  the  wonderful 
collection  gathered  together  in  the  library  of 
Mr.  Childs.  Even  those  who  have  had  the 
good  fortune  to  see  it  and  to  study  its  con- 
tents, will  be  glad  to  read  this  brief  descrip- 
tion and  to  refresh  their  recollection  of  such 
a storehouse  of  rare,  curious,  and  valuable 
objects. 


